IPL 2025 New Rules: changes have been made and will be applied to the Indian Premier League (IPL). What happened in 2022 was major because we’re now enjoying the tournament with 10 teams instead of 8. We’ve seen the tournament have a new group system and playoff format.
But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) doesn’t seem to be done. More changes were implemented for the upcoming 18th edition of the IPL, and everyone’s interested to see how this can make the league more exciting.
Table of contents (IPL 2025 New Rules)
Following the ICC’s Code of Conduct Regulations
The league will now adhere to international standards this year by using the ICC’s Code of Conduct, so offences will be categorized into the following Levels:
- Level 1: Minor offences like dissent, inappropriate language, or excessive appeal. One such instance occurred in the 2023 season when Harshit Rana of the Kolkata Knight Riders was punished for sending Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Mayank Agarwal out with a flying kiss after he had taken his wicket.
- Level 2: More serious offences, such as repeated Level 1 offences, serious dissent, or inappropriate physical contact.
- Level 3: Major offences like changing the ball’s condition, intimidation, or racial abuse.
The penalties are already set, but as far as what the ICC has already shared, a level 1 offence can be up to 50% of a player’s match fee with one or two demerit points.
Mega Auction-Related Changes
Changes were already applied during the Mega Auction for the 2025 IPL in November 2024 at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Unless the BCCI and ICC announce anything, the new rules were already followed and will remain for future auctions.
Retention Rules
One of the most notable changes was the increase in the retention limit. Franchises were allowed to retain a maximum of six players, the highest ever permitted before a mega auction. This included a maximum of five capped (Indian and overseas) and two uncapped players.
However, to ensure a competitive auction and prevent wealthier teams from hoarding all the top talent, the IPL Governing Council introduced a tiered retention cost structure:
- 1st player: ₹18 crore
- 2nd player: ₹14 crore
- 3rd player: ₹11 crore
- 4th player: ₹18 crore
- 5th player: ₹14 crore
RTM Option is Back
The Right to Match (RTM) option, which allows teams to retain a player by matching the highest bid placed by another franchise during the auction, is back. This rule was first introduced during the mega-auction ahead of the 2018 season. It was discontinued before the 2022 mega-auction to simplify the auction process and reduce team strategic complexity. Still, they’re bringing it back so franchises can be more strategic during the auction.
Increased Salary Caps
Each team had the highest salary cap in IPL history during the most recent auction. Teams had been working with ₹110 crore since 2023, but this time, the amount was raised to ₹120 crore. The IPL Governing Council has also revealed a plan to gradually increase the salary cap over the ensuing years (2026: ₹151 crore and 2027: ₹157 crore).
Read More:- IPL 2025 AUCTION – Here is all you need to know!
New Draft System
The IPL also introduced a new draft system to give fresh talent a shot. With this, the BCCI will be selecting and nurturing emerging talent. These players will then be placed in a draft, and IPL teams can pick them before the main auction.
Changes in Gameplay Rules
A few changes were made to improve the watching experience and address specific elements of the game:
Player Substitutions
The Impact Player Rule allows teams to make tactical substitutions during a match. Each team can name five substitute players in addition to their starting XI before the match begins. During the game, the captain can call upon one of these substitutes (Impact Player), to replace any player from the starting XI at any point in the match.
Strict Over-Rate Penalties
To ensure matches are completed on time and are more viewer-friendly, the IPL has introduced stricter penalties for slow-over rates. The bowling team must cut the number of fielders outside the 30-yard circle by one for each over that is not finished in the allotted time. For instance, a team that is one over schedule is only permitted to have four fielders beyond the 30-yard circle rather than the customary five.
Final Words
Love it or hate it, the IPL keeps evolving, and these changes are probably the beginning. It will be interesting to see how these new rules will impact the upcoming season, so be sure you don’t miss out. The 2025 TATA IPL is scheduled to run from March 21 to May 25, 2025, in India.
